Chapter 42. Bonds of Trust
All their gazes shifted to James the moment he appeared at the edge of the walkway, strolling toward them with a soft, gentle smile stretched across his face.
He hadn’t even made it halfway when Cassandra beat the rest to it. "Good morning, James!" she said, beaming.
"Good morning, Cassandra... and to everyone," James replied, his voice as calm as ever. His eyes briefly scanned the group, but when they landed on Maria, the smile slowly faded into concern.
Maria felt her heart leap. It had been days since she last saw him, and the rush of emotions nearly swept her off her feet.
She barely resisted the urge to run up to him and throw her arms around him.
James took a step closer and directed his attention solely to her. "How are you, Maria? You haven’t been around for a while. Everything okay?"
Maria opened her mouth to explain but paused. There were things she wasn’t ready to share in front of Cassandra and Laura—details too tangled and personal. So, she simply gave a vague smile and remained silent.
Noticing her hesitation, James turned to her friends. "Do you mind if I steal her for a minute? Just need a quick word."
Cassandra and Laura exchanged glances before nodding. "Go on," Cassandra said with a smile. "We’ll be here."
Maria followed James with quiet excitement. She’d wanted this moment alone with him for so long.
As soon as they reached the back storage shed where they usually met, she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly and planting a deep kiss on his lips.